The path to becoming a confident, skilled reader begins very early in life- in fact, even before a baby is born. To learn and thrive, develop a deep reading brain, and benefit from an education that promotes choice and a voice to advocate for your rights and a more just society, children must experience a relationships-based, language-centered ecosystem anchored in the responsive interactions they experience with the meaningful adults in their lives. This course supports your understanding of how our Cox Campus B-5 coursework is integrated. It presents an overview of an ecosystem approach to developing the foundation for reading in the early years and introduces nine essential elements, why they matter, and the best practices associated with each element. Also included is the Ecosystem Construction Measure, a tool to assist in monitoring the construction of the ecosystem and supporting goal setting and action planning.